State of Tennessee
Franklin County
On the 23rd day of January 1833, personally appeared in open court before the honorable James Coffeld James Mitchell, Judge of the
Circuit Court of said County, now sitting, Jonas Hill, a resident of the County and State aforesaid, age about seventy, who being first duly
sworn, according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed
June the 7th, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States & served as herein stated. He first entered the service as a
private, soldier (substitute for Joshua Freeman) in Captain Samuel Dyers Company of Calvary in the County of Surry & State of North
Carolina, sometime in the year 1781 as within his recollection, to serve for a tour of 3 months in the Militia services. We rendezvoused at
the mouth of the Tararat (Ararat) on the Yadkin River. We marched first to the hollows of the Yadkin against the Tories. We then marched near
to Hillsboro where we had a skirmish with a detachment of the enemy. At this time Lord Cornwallis' headquarters was at Hillsboro. He
does not recollect whether he was at anytime attached to any particular regiment or brigade, but believes he was not. That he and the
troops of mounted men to which he belonged was generally under the immediate command of Maj. James Shepherd. They were frequently
with the main Army commanded by General Green, while in the neighborhood of Hillsboro. During the time that Lord Cornwallis occupied
Hillsboro, a night attack was ordered upon by pickets This applicant was in the attack. That night Cornwallis lifted his camp and marched
out of town. The next day we marched in. Having served the full time of three months, he was regularly discharged, but has since lost it
with other papers.
In a short time after he returned home he again entered the service of the United States as a private soldier (substitute for Randall Brown)
in Capt. William Hickman's Company, North Carolina, Militia. We rendezvoused at the shallow ford of the Yadkin & marched from
thence to Salisbury, at which place Capt. Hickman was taken sick. He was succeeded in the command of the Company by Capt.
McDowell. Here we were placed under the command of a French officer whose name is not recollected, but believe he was Col.
Malmedy & marched to Camden in South Carolina, & there joined the army commanded by Capt. Green; the Army marched
from thence to Thompson's old Fields & continued on until we met the enemy at the Eutah Springs, where a general engagement
took place between the American Army under the command of Gen. Green & the British Army under the command of Lord Rawdon.
The militia was ordered by Gen. Green to guard the prisoners, who were immediately moved off the grounds & were marched to
Camden under the Command of the French officer, named aforesaid, who was killed in a duel at this place by an American officer of the
name of Sneed. After the death of the French officer, the detachment guarding the prisoners was commanded by Capt. (Francis) Locke. From
thence we removed with the prisoners near to Salisbury in North Carolina.
While lying here his three months tour expired, but through the solicitation of Capt. Locke, who had not sufficient forces to guard
the prisoners, he remained from one to two months longer and was regularly discharged by Capt. Locke which has been unfortunately
lost as before stated with other papers.
He has no documentary evidence in his possession or power to prove his said services or any part thereof, nor can he prove the same by any
person in his service to prove further than is done by the evidence herewith offered.
He states that he was born in Granville County, N. Carolina about the year 1763 according to the account received from
his parents. He has no record of his age. At the time he was called into service he lived in Surry County N. Carolina. Immediately after the
close of the War, he removed to what is now called East Tennessee & was on a front(?) against the Indians & afterwards
returned to Pendleton District, S. Carolina where he resided 22 years, from thence to Overton County, Tennessee, resided there two
years, from thence he removed to this County, where he has resided about twenty years, & is know to many of the respectable
citizens who can testify to his character.
He hereby relinquishes any claims whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present & declares that his name is not on the
pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and Subscribed
The day and year aforesaid
His
Jonas (X) Hill
mark
We, John H Morris and Thomas Wilson, residing in the County and State aforesaid, hereby
certify that we are well acquainted with Jonas Hill, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to
be 70 years of age, that he is respected in the neighborhood, where he resides, to be a man of good character & worthy
of credit, and that we concur in that opinion.
s/John H. Morris
s/Thomas Wilson
State of Alabama
Morgan County
This day personally appeared before me William A Slaughter, an acting Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid. Henry
Hill, who being duly sworn made oath as follows: viz: That to his positive (?) knowledge his brother Jonas Hill formerly of Surry County
of North Carolina was a soldier in the United States service during the Revolutionary War. This 3rd Day of December 1832
His
Henry (X) Hill
mark
s/Wm A Slaughter, Acting JP
State of Alabama
Morgan County
I.M.M. MacKinzie, Clerk of the County Court of Morgan County and State aforesaid do hereby certify that William A Slaughter before whom the above affidavit appears to ____? be made is at this time acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, duly elected, sworn and commissioned and that his affidavits are entitled to ___? faith and credit as such.
In testimony of which I hereunto act my hand and affix the seal of office at office this 3rd day of December A.D. 1832 and of American
Independence of the fifty seventh year.
s/ M. M. McKinzie,
Clerk of the County of Morgan
Character Witnesses for Henry Hill:
We whose names are hereunto subscribed have been acquainted with one Henry Hill of Morgan County for some years past and with
pleasure state that he has invariable supported an honest honorable & impeccable character.
L. Rins
Burwell Marchbanks
Robert _________?
M C Houston
J. McKenzie
W F Gillispie
Thomas K Dossey
M M MacKinzie
M Skidmore
State of Tennessee
County of Franklin
Stephen Adams, a resident of Franklin County, age 63 years, being first duly sworn, deposith & saith, that he is well acquainted
with Jonas Hill, the above applicant for a pension, that he first became acquainted with him about the year 1787 in Pendleton District,
South Carolina, that the said applicant was then & there know ___? & spoken of as having been in the service of the United
Stated during the then late War of the Revolution. This affiant was also well acquainted with one William Heath, who resided in the State
District last mentioned. He has often heard the said Heath speak of said applicant having been in service as before states & that
he the said Heath had served with ____? from ____?. He further states that Jonas Hill has always since his first acquaintance with him
supported the character of an honest man, & every way was he of credit on his oath. The affiant has no doubt that said Jonas Hill
was in the service of the United States, as stated by him in the above declaration.
Sworn to and subscribed in open court this 22 day of January A.D. 1833
s/Stephen Adams
s/Jonathan Spyker, Clk
State of Tennessee
County of Franklin
And the said court, do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, & after putting the interrogation prescribed by the War Department, that the above mentioned applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the court further certifies that Thomas Wilson & John H Morris who have signed the preceding certificate are resident citizens of Franklin County, and credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit. The Court doth further certify that Stephen Adams of Franklin County and Henry Hill of Morgan County, Alabama whose affidavits were read on the said application, & hereunto annexed are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit.
I Johathan Spyker, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Franklin County ____? do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceeding of the said Court, in the matter of Jonas Hill for pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and private seal (having ___? seal of office) this 26th day of January 1833 and 57th year of American Independence.
s/Jonathan Spyker, Clerk
State of Tennessee
County of Franklin
On this 26 day of August 1833, personally appeared in open court before the worshipful, the Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter
Sessions of
Subscribed, August 26, 1833
his
State of Tennessee
We, William Gipson, a clergyman, and Walter Wileham, both citizens of Franklin County, & State of Tennessee, do hereby certify,
that we are well acquainted with Jonas Hill, who has subscribed and sworn, to the above Declaration, that we believe him to be seventy
one year of age, that he is reported (?) and claims (?) in the neighborhood in which he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution
and that we concur in that opinion.
s/Wm Gibson
And the said Court, do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, & after putting the interrogations prescribed
by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, & served as he states, and the Court further
certify that William Gibson, who has signed the preceding Certificate, is a Clergyman resident in Franklin County, & that Walter
Wileham, who has also signed said Certificate is a resident of said County, that they are creditable persons, and that their statement is
entitled to Credit.
I, Edmond Russell, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Franklin County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains
the general proceeding of the said Court, in the matter of Jonas Hill's application for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal of office this 5th day of September 1833
s/E. Russell, Clk
I, John L. Sanders, and acting and duly commissioned Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Van Buren in the State of Arkansas,
do hereby certify that on the 3rd day of March AD 1846 at the County of Van Buren in the State of Arkansas did Join together in marriage,
David Castlebury aged seventy five years and Mary Hill, aged fifty one years, both of said county of Van Buren and State of Arkansas
and did then and there declared them to be husband and wife. Given under my hand this 7 day of March AD 1857.
s/John L. Sanders, J.P.
The above Certificate of marriage was filed for record on the 14th day of April AD 1846 and the same is now duly recorded above.
s/George Counts, Clerk and Exofficio Recorder
State of Arkansas
I, J. L. Bradly, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Exofficio Recorder in and for the County State aforesaid do hereby certify that the above
and foregoing is a true and perfect transcript from the marriage record now in my office.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand as Clerk and affix the Seal of Office at office in Clinton, this 19th day of August AD 1857
s/J. L. Bradly, Clerk and Exofficio Recorder
State of Arkansas
On this the 14th day of My 1857, personally appeared before me, J. F. McAlister, Judge of the Probate Court in and for the County of
Van Buren in the State of Arkansas, Mary Castleberry, age 65 years, a resident of Van Buren County in the State aforesaid, who being
duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by
the Act of Congress passed February the 3rd 1855, that she is the widow of Jonas Hill, a Revolutionary Pensioner who was pensioned
under the Act of Congress, passed the 7th day of June 1832. She further states that she was married to the said Jonas Hill on the ___
day of June 1808, by one Wm Jennings, a Justice of the Peace and that her name before her last marriage was Mary Barnes and that
her husband, the aforesaid Jonas Hill, died on the 31 day of August 1838 [Note: Jonas died 31 Aug 1840] in the State of Tennessee.
She further declares that on the 7th day of March 1846 she married David Castleberry, her second husband, in Van Buren County, in
the State of Arkansas, who also died on the 12 day of June 1856 and that she is still a widow.
Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and date above written.
s/ J. F. McAlister, Judge
her
State of Arkansas
On this the 14th day of May AD 1857, personally appeared before me, Judge of the Probate Court in and for the County of Van Buren
and State aforesaid, a Mary Castleberry, age sixty-five years, a resident of Van Buren County in the State of Arkansas, who, being duly
sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Jonas Hill, a Revolutionary Pensioner under the Act of Congress, passed the
7th day of June 1832. She further declares that she was married to the said Jonas Hill on the ___ day of June AD 1808 in the State of
Tennessee by one Wm Jennings, a Justice of the Peace and that her name before her last marriage was Mary Barnes and that her said
husband, Jonas Hill, died on the 31 day of August 1838 [Note: Jonas died 31 Aug 1840]. She further declares that on the 7th day of
March 1846 she was married to David Castleberry in Van Buren County, in the State of Arkansas, who also died on the 12 day of June
AD 1856 and that she is still a widow as will more fully appear by reference to the proofs here unto annexed. She makes this declaration
for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land that she may be entitled as the widow of Jonas Hill, deceased, under the Act of Congress,
passed the 3rd day of March 1855.
her
State of Tennessee
Be it known that before me, Meredith Catchings, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County aforesaid, personally appeared Mary Hill
and made oath in due force of law, that she is the widow of Jonas Hill, the identical person who was a pensioner and is now dec'd and
to whom a Certificate of Pension was issued of which the following is a true copy: in "War Department in Revolutionary claims ____ I
certify that in conformity with the law of the United States, of the 7th of June, 1832, Jonas Hill of the State of Tennessee, who was a
private in the army of the Revolution, is entitled to receive Twenty three dollars and thirty three cents per annum during his natural life,
commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually, on the 4th of March and 4th of September, in every year.
Given at the War Office of the United States, this 27th day of September, one thousand eight hundred and thirty three.
John Robb,
On which Certificate are the following endorsements:
"22030 ____ Payments to be made at Nashville, by the Pt of W J B Bank, Agent for paying pensioners in the Agency of West Tennessee
____Recorded in Pension Office, Book E, Vol F, p. 83, by Dan'l Boyd, Clerk" That the deceased pensioner resided in Franklin County,
in the State of Tennessee, for the space of thirty one years before his death and that previous thereto he resided in Overton County,
Tennessee, and in South Carolina.
Sworn and subscribed this 9th day of September, A.D. 1841, before me.
s/Meredith Catchings,
her
Sworn to in open court.
s/E. Russell, Clk
Jonas (X) Hill
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Statements by William Gipson and Walter Wileham
Concerning Jonas Hill's Service in the American Revolution
County of Franklin
Open Court, Aug. 26, 1833
s/Walter Wileham
Declaration of Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
Concerning Jonas Hill's Application for a Pension
Statement of John L. Sanders Concerning
the Marriage of Mary B. Hill and David Castlebury
County of Van Buren
County of Van Buren
Van Buren County
Mary (X) Castleberry
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Widow's Declaration (Mary Hill) to Obtain Bounty Land
Van Buren County
Mary (X) Castleberry
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Jonas Hill's Final Pension Payment
Made to Mary Hill, Widow
County of Franklin
Acting Secretary of War"
an Acting Justice of the Peace,
Franklin County, State of Tennessee
Mary (X) Castleberry
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Jonas' Original Declaration